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I REALLY need help!!!!

Ok, I'm so frustrated with going it alone! In the beginning there was OALD/OS. Then there was reflux. Then there was nursing strike. Then there was so few wet diapers that I felt I must give formula to keep her from getting dehydrated. Then there was bottle preference. And now there is severely low supply and breast refusal!

I have done everything I know to do. All the advice on every website I can find. Taking 5+ grams of fenugreek daily, plus a lactation blend that has every other herb mentioned in it, drowning myself in water, eating oatmeal, and pumping constantly. Been at it like this for 2 weeks. No change. Saw an increase the first day I took the fenugreek but no progress since. I do good if I get 1.5 oz a day! I don't know what else to do!

DD gets M-A-D, mad every time I try to get her to nurse. So I'm having to rely completely on my pump to remove milk. My mom suggested putting something sweet on my nipples to bribe her into sucking but I have 2 issues with that. First, she doesn't need sugar, but I suppose applesauce wouldn't be too bad. But my second issue (and the one I'm the most apprehensive about) is the fear that she would expect that every time thereafter. I just don't know. At my wit's end but not ready to give up. Think I'm going to see about getting a hospital grade pump asap. Got to be away from her for the next two days. (I'm the lucky daughter of a florist at Valentine's Day ) Any other suggestions from any of you great mama's? I'm ready to cry rivers over this. I HATE her being on formula!!! And what's worse is knowing that it's my body that's not doing what it's supposed to! Guess I just needed to a bit. Sorry about that!

Raising my children is the greatest career I can imagine. The pay is low, the hours are long, but the benefits and rewards are infinite!

Re: I REALLY need help!!!!

Ok, a quick update. Still no change in supply, but I did talk to the LC at the hospital where I delivered. Told her I wanted the Symphony and she said I could rent one but really the PISA was almost the same thing and I could buy one for what I would pay to rent Symphony for a couple of months. So I have a PISA on the way, hopefully in the next day or 2. She said that my PIS is probably bitting the dust since it's about 4-5 years old and that could very well be a big part of the problem.

Then we talked about supplements. Told her everything I was doing. She told me to consider the domperidone which I have looked into but haven't ordered yet b/c I want to see how the new pump does. But what got me was when she told me to take a megadose of fenugreek to cause a mild, temporary engorgement to kick-start better supply. And I do mean megadose! She said 15 capsules all at once! So I quit taking it for the last day in preparation to start over with it, but I just can't make myself swallow that many pills at once. Thought I would check here and see if anyone else has heard of doing any such thing. I mean, that would be 9300mg of fenugreek at one time. Is that crazy or what? Would that be dangerous? Should I consider doing a megadose, just not quite as large as what she said? Say maybe 8 or 9 at once? Please help...I'm sooo confused!!!

Raising my children is the greatest career I can imagine. The pay is low, the hours are long, but the benefits and rewards are infinite!

Re: I REALLY need help!!!!

Thanks for the reply! That's kind of what I was thinking. I was taking 10 a day wondering if that was too much but when she said that I thought that maybe it wasn't enough---after I got over the shock of such a suggestion that is!

About the domperidone...I've read that it can cause stomach upset. Did this happen with you? I tend to be sensitive to those types of side effects and would prefer not to be sitting on the pot all day taking the stuff. This is going to be my last resort if I can't get things going in the next week to 10 days with the new pump and fenugreek. But I'm shy of anything not natural, particularly when it can mess with your stomach. Just wondering. Thanks!!!!

Raising my children is the greatest career I can imagine. The pay is low, the hours are long, but the benefits and rewards are infinite!

Re: I REALLY need help!!!!

I have a very sensitive stomach (i have a ton of stomach problems including IBS and ulcerative colitis) but it hasn't affected me at all. I think it may have given me headaches a couple of times but lack of sleep also gives them to me so it may have just been that Either way no real noticeable or bad side effects I too am wary of taking medications but Dr. Newman really put my mind at ease and i think the domperidone is a great option for many women

Re: I REALLY need help!!!!

Well that's good to know. I will definately be looking more into it then if nothing else works. But I don't want to do everything all at once b/c I want to know exactly what it was that helped the most, kwim? Will update when my new pump gets here! Fingers crossed!!!

Raising my children is the greatest career I can imagine. The pay is low, the hours are long, but the benefits and rewards are infinite!

Re: I REALLY need help!!!!

My new pump came today!!! I love it! It's so much quieter than my old PIS and I love the dual cycle thing. Got larger breast shields too and I have to say that it is sooo much more comfortable to pump now. So we'll see how it goes. Can you tell I'm excited? I got 3...count 'em 3 let-downs. Not a whole lot more output just yet but I've only used it once. Had to sterilize everything and all ya know? So I'm gonna dose up on fenugreek in the morning and get my money's worth out of this pump and my baby's gonna be back on nothing but BM before a month is up! Think positive!

Raising my children is the greatest career I can imagine. The pay is low, the hours are long, but the benefits and rewards are infinite!

Re: I REALLY need help!!!!

Good to hear your got your pump!! I have a little tip that works WONDERS for me!!!

On top of taking 3 fenugreek pills 3x day (5,490 mg) I drink Red Raspberry Leaf Tea by Alvita Teas. I've tried other brands but with this tea I do notice the difference. I drink about 3 cups a day. So, right before bedtime, I take my 3 pills and then I brew 2 bags in 10oz and I drink it. This morning for example, I pumped 13oz. Another tip that I learned through reading some articles is... take the fenugreek with very little water as possible 20 minutes after you eat or drink anything and then wait another 20 minutes before drinking or eating anything. This ensures that your body absorbs the most.

I've been doing this since I started pumping, (2 weeks after my milk came in) now 6 months later I have 8 gallon size bags in my freezer full of 6oz and 7oz baggies of milk. It's about 2 months supply.

Keep up all your big efforts it pays off!! good luck with your new pump!!